I am a 29 year old male, 5’9”, 200lbs. For the past 2 months I have had constant headaches. I went to a neurologist and he performed MRI and MRA of the head and both come back negative. Several weeks later I developed chest pain on the outer left side of my chest near my collarbone. The chest pain becomes constant for several days and can get very uncomfortable. I have been to a cardiologist and over the last four weeks I have had numerous ECG’s, worn a 30 day event monitor, echocardiogram, nuclear stress test, ultrasound of carotid arteries, CT scan of chest and chest X-rays. Blood tested several times and even venous and arterial ultrasounds of both legs due to throbbing leg pain in inner left thigh. All tests have come back normal. No family history of heart disease.

All of this began at the beginning of November 2007. Other symptoms I have been getting are what feel like hard heart beats that feel harder than normal but not any faster than normal when pulse is checked. At times I feel like the inside of my chest is vibrating. I have even had muscle twitches in my arms, back and legs. At times I feel somewhat lightheaded due to the headaches and become fatigued. These problems have given me some anxiety since the doctors can not find anything.

Over the last two weeks I have noticed that I have a lot more gas than usual especially after meals and sometimes get a burning in the back of my throat along with a tightness in my throat with a sense of feeling difficult to swallow. I will be seeing a GI doctor in a couple of days.

I was diagnosed with a herniated disks in my c3-c4, t7-t8 and t-8-t9 in December 2006.

Can the herniated discs be contributing to my symptoms?

Any other suggestions or input would be great since this has been going on for nearly 10 weeks.

I can notice some relation between your symptoms.
Having more gasses along with burning sensation in the back of the throat, especially, after the meal is very suggestive for GERD or acid reflux.
Less commonly, GERD may produce symptoms that occur in the throat like the sensation of having a lump in the throat and trouble swallowing.
Have you experienced choking or food becoming trapped in the esophagus, causing you a severe chest pain?
Do you have hoarseness and dry cough?
Do you have sensation that the food is trapped behind breastbone?

but i'm a 30 year old female.
i've had all types of tests, iv been in the emergency room numbers of times, but still nothing. i don't think i had ultrasound of carotid arteries, not sure, but u guess that they test for everything right!

the additions are:

I started having dry coughs and taste blood. The outside of the left side of my chest is painful to touch, feels like it's inflated or something (am no doctor still).
It also feels like there's no room for my lungs to expand, my rib cage is tightning, am losing weight. Swallowing is hard, i do feel that when i drink water it wants to come right back up, but i still force. Then when i do eat or drink, there's not even more space for me to breathe right.But i need food, right!?

Doctors told me anxiety attacks, i know iv been having them, but this doesn't seem like a panic attack, the medications they gave me, like celax,kloropin & ativan, didn't help. Made me sicker.

I must admit though that I've been taking alot of over the counter Excedrin, either migraines or headaches, which r every day. I've tried all others but they worked for some days, then i had to increase the dosage. And now is happening with excedrin, i take 4-8 tabletsa day, everyday, these things can lead to strokes and other things right? Still they tell me not to take anything for the headache, but i can't help it!! they can't give me the right medication, coz they can't find what's wrong i guess.

Feels like my body is shutting down!! I feel like death all the time.
What can i do?

Hi,
Have you looked into the medical condition called AAchalasia is a disorder of the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach (esophagus), which affects the ability of the esophagus to move food toward the stomach.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
A muscular ring at the point where the esophagus and stomach come together (lower esophageal sphincter) normally relaxes during swallowing. In people with achalasia, this muscle ring does not relax as well. The reason for this problem is damage to the nerves of the esophagus.

Cancer of the esophagus or upper stomach and a parasite infection that causes Chagas disease may have symptoms like those of achalasia.
Achalasia is a rare disorder. It may occur at any age, but is most common in middle-aged or older adults. This problem may be inherited in some people.
Symptoms
Backflow (regurgitation) of food
Chest pain, which may increase after eating or may be felt in the back, neck, and arms
Cough
Difficulty swallowing liquids and solids
Heartburn
Unintentional weight loss
chalasia?

I have it and you are describing pretty much everything I went through. Check it out, it cant hurt
Good Luck
MJ

Yeah man this must be a common thing, or at least I'm hoping. My symtoms are throbbing under my left lower rib cage, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, shoulder pain, and getting an annoying headache.

I just get those random, I gotta take a break, kind of moments. I've had heartburn in the past and it seems to be getting worse. The thing that concerns me the most and seems to be the root of all pain is the throbbing of my heart. When it beats I feel a sharp pain in my neck like in a blodd vessel or nerve.

I Have all symptoms and from surfing post boards I'm finding results to be just as varied. Hospital visit #1 they told me anxiety(but i'm' pretty shure the constant pain is causing it). Hospital visit #2 they told me GERD (acid reflux) look it up, You are having most of the symptoms(minus headaches). The acid can cause swelling on the gastrol track(esophagus) and throat that can make breathing hard and in most cases left side chest pains and constant burping and loud belly(worse or better after eating or worse while laying down).

Meds on both do nothing for me though. Still the inside of my legs have a less frequent but annoying ache can't explain it. As i'm 26 heart or arterial issues are null. I'm going in for an upper GI to test for ulcers but there is no blood in my wastes and I've never coughed blood.

(hellopolls) you need to worry about treating your headaches certain pain relievers are blood thinners and will make it worse if you have an ulcer and this can be deadly. That is how my grandpa died (ulcers from drinking plus painkillers).

In my case the headaches are less frequent thankfully but the headaches I'm getting are worse than I ever remember add up the heart beating out of my chest and constant pain in my lower chest its all driving me nutz.

i had my GERD 4 years ago, and i have gone through 2 times of endoscopy, i have completed the 2 courses of medication provided by the specialists, i guess i was taking something to help reduce the acid in my stomach like omeprazo, it was effective as i had fully recovered then. But this symptom started again 3 months ago and this time it came with serious nose blocking, everytime when i had the reflux, i was have to breath with my mouth, headache occured as well as there're a strange muscle vibrating on the lower part of my left chest and i would have to cough many times to make it stop.
im 35 male 171cm 68kg, i have gone through the ECG test 2 months ago and its normal
what do i need to do to cure these problems? should i continue taking madication (omeprazo)? or there's other better ways to do with these? i wish my problem can be eradicated and im willing to pay for it to get my healthy life back. thx

garyng74 I don't know what to say about that.. I've never had anything like that happen to me I've had choking when I was sleeping... I recently found that I had a spiral bacterium that may be what had been causing most of my problems. I think it was something called H Peloric or something like that. I was told that it causes your body to start producing extra acid and that it can ultimatly cause ulcers. As for nasal blackage maybe an infection or inflamitory? I know people with GERD are likely to get Bronchitis... I'm not a doctor so the questions might be beter answered by one. Did the endoscopy show any signs of Hiatal Hernia or broncial inflamation?

Strongly suggest visiting an ENT doctor. He diagnosed me with laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPR) after suffering for 5 months and probably longer now that I think back. It's going to be a long road to get better, but I am so frustrated and in so much pain from this that I can hardly stand it. I'm seeing the nurse for more specific info in a couple of days to "learn" how to deal,etc. It's only been two weeks of doing what he said, but it's not working, or maybe I'm being inpatient. For years and years I always thought that I had allergies, but am pretty sure it's not now. But I understand the heart poundings and headaches...it's driving me crazy.

To rg3 (or to any of you with the same symptoms)- what did you ever get for a diagnosis? For me, feels like a hard, fast heart beat, heart vibrations, light headedness, some light chest pain, annoying headaches in the back of my head. I definitely have reflux (for about 20 years)and my doctor is trying to get it under control. Nothing has ever seemed to work great for me. Watching my diet has been best. Apparently, it's gotten worse than I thought now that I'm experiencing other symptoms. Just wondering what you found out. Thanks

i have the same thing with the nasal blockage when i eat so don't feel alone on that one! i have an appt tomorrow with the GI dr so hopefully he will have some answers! i love this forum it has helped so much!

i went to the GI doctor yesterday due to the exact same symptoms. chest pain, headaches, muscle twitching, inner left leg pain, sour taste in my mouth, burning in the back of my throat, nasal stuffiness, heartburn...i'm a messsssssssss!!!! i didn't want to eat anymore cause i didn't know what was gonna happen. i am 33 by the way...anyways he diagnosed me with GERD and he gave me nexium 40mg. i took it last night and it gave me a really bad headache, weird taste and made me a little dizzy. i called the dr and let him know and he said it was probably too strong so they are going to try me on the prilosec OTC...if i am not feeling better in 10 days they are going in to find out what's going on!!! this really sucks!!! hope the info helped a little...hang in there everyone!!!

hope everyone is doing ok! i have been taking the prilosec OTC for a little over a week now and what a difference. the arm/shoulder/breast pains are almost completely gone! if i eat less acidic foods i don't have any problems at all with the meds but if i do i get the pains a little...hope this helps!!!!!

been suffering from headaches and a tight pressure around my head for over a year now, about 8 months ago started having chest pains and a tightness in my chest, feels worse after eating a big meal and also get very uncomfortable at night, I am burping constantly and only feel a slight relief after burping. Was referred to a neurologist in June who told me was chronic migraines and he would not do any scans etc until I had tried the years worth of tablets he'd suggested. Chest is getting a million times worse and am having this crushing feeling almost constantly now, also my jaw feels stiff and feel like I can't swallow. If anyone with similar symptoms has discovered what it is please let me know, this is starting to ruin my life

I also have all the same symptoms. So far, I have had not definitive diagnosis. All treatments for potential diagnoses have failed. The chest pressure for me is awful. However, sometimes it suddenly dissipates with painful and unsettling popping or bursting sensation in my chest. After that it feels like warm fluid is draining out of the cavity. After this happens, all my symptoms go away for a while. Sometimes a couple days or a week. The first time, all symptoms went away for a month. When I tell doctors this, they look at me like I have two heads. It's very frustrating.

-> I have similar symptoms I think. It feels like an extremely heavy feeling over your chest right in the middle? Sometimes leaning over helps me a little bit or folding my shoulders inward like to contract the chest pectoral muscles. I've also had a cough associated with all this which was dry then became productive and is now going away. It's hard to pair my sympoms of headache, lightheadness, and sometimes spotty wierd vision artifacts like impending doom is coming and ringing in the ears though. If it helps I'm only 24, young and symptoms start about 2 months ago after a bad bout of the flu i might add in November. I went to the ER and the doctors said it could be GERD. I bought some Tagament but I decided to not take it and change my diet and I do feel a little better stomach wise and chest pain but the headaches persist and the stomach pain is still there but not the heavy chest feeling.

I think your having panic attack too while all this is happening. I freaked out and started feeling jaw pain, and pain radiating up your neck. Just relax sit down and in 10 min you'll be fine.

Also, my syptoms when I'm all dizzy and stuff seems to be allievated just a tad as soon as burp... even if there isn't any definitive stomach pain or chest pain... a burp with acidy sound/feeling/sometimes taste occurs and i feel temperorary relieve.

I think alot of overreaction is happening too if you do have GERD. I started developing symptoms 2 1/2 months ago. It all started right after I would eat my meals - I'd get dizzy etc. At first that was what happened. Then I had developed tight chest feelings a few weeks after almost like a huge air pocket in my chest. Also I had dry cough which may have been started before or shortly after. I can't be for certain, but the cough definitely started dry and progressed to productive, and now is started to subside actually. My symptoms peeked about 3 weeks ago and specifically after I ate. I would feel like dizzy, loss of hearing, headache, vision, and then I'd freak out and feel like passing out. I'd have some stomach pain and tightness in chest. I took a trip to the ER about 1 week later because symptoms persisted and they said it sounded like GERD. So I bought Tagment but I didn't start it yet. I decided to sleep more, change my diet and things did change a little. The heavy chest feeling lifted and is much less but did happen pretty bad last weekend, but the dull pain right under my ribcage persisted. Now it seems like I just get dizzy spells kind of like what I had at the start of all this. If this is the end of it then I'm glad. I should say that even if there's chest / stomach discomfort i do burp and that seems to eleviate the symptoms temprorarily. If you have this its' definitely stomach related. But the wierd thing is now I also have sensation of pressure in my ears, and head... but I think this may be nasal related. I'll keep you informed.

Hi guys, i have lots of these symptoms as well and I thought I was the only one, had ECG's, X-rays, CAT scans, MRI's, Heart stress tests, every blood test known to man, endoscopy, colonoscopy etc etc - All i have been diagnosed with id High Blood pressure which is now fine and Acid Reflux. All of the other tests come up as fine but I constantly get headaches, dizzy/light headedness, have a clicking sound in my ear when i walk, i have to move my jaw around to relieve my sinus pain, lots of burping, a sensation like I cant breathe, heartburn, muscle twitches, and some radial pain on my arms although this has now gone. My sinuses feel clogged as well. It has adversly affected my abilty to work and have a normal life and freaks me out a bit. Im losing weight and trying to get as healthy as i can but its hard to exercise when you are dizzy. I try and not too eat too muchas it causes my reflux.

Thanks, how reassuring all your comments are. When i sit down especially now the burning sensation seems to come up to the top of my stomach. When i stand up most of the pressure is at the top of my stomach. Its like the skin being stretched to breaking point under my ribs cage to both sides. It also feels like a ball under my left rib with muscle trembles and the headaches.I worry about alot of things especially now
and get very stressed. I lost my job 7 months ago and managed to secure a job last month as you know i put it on this page. For that week when i was with them i drank lots of water and eat carrots and the stomach pains and bloatedness went. Fot the first time in years i was pain free. Then last wednesday the burning and pain arrived back worse than ever, Had 2 sleepness nights with having to sit up as the burning is unbearable.

I was an exserviceman for 16 years and i look after my self. As i have my own weights etc and stil look afet myself. I have never eat spicy foods as they dont agree with me and never smoked in my life.. The only vice i have is have a few beers on a Saturday night(who doesnt) and i dont touch spirits The lower back pain is at the top of the hips, like kidneys.. i have mentioned this to doctor and he said it s common wth Acid Reflux thats what their telling me now. Its now been 5 days of continuous stomach burning, muscle trembling and headaches, ive had enough. On the second week of motillium and omeprazole and not a glimmer of it getting better.

I went through every test back in October of last year including scan and 3 bloods all came back as normal.The only thing i chickened out in doing was the camera down the throat. I wish now i had done it but when November came for me to go for the appointment i cancelled it. This was only because the symptoms were only slight, so i gave the appointment to someone in more need. The Hospital were o.k with this and told me if it started to play up again, go back to the doctors and thats what ive done. I am sick of taking pills with little or no efffect. These people dont know the pain that i am enduring and making my life a misery,was bent over in pain yesterday, could do anything i wanted to do if i tried.